Game Rangers call for more troops in Kruger National Park

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 The SA Game Rangers Association says the onslaught on the country's rhino population by well-oiled gangs from Mozambique is tantamount to a war-like situation.

In a hard-hitting statement issued of Friday, the Association called on president Jacob Zuma and the government to fully acknowledge the onslaught that rangers are facing while they attempt to protect the rhino and South Africa’s natural heritage.

The Association's Chris Galliers says its not their responsibility to defend the country's borders against armed incursions from professionally trained and armed militia from Mozambique.

He says this situation has gone beyond being simply an environmental or conservation issue.

"This is purely an issue between South Africa and Mozambique where we have got armed people from Mozambique coming into SA, which is almost tantamount to a war-like situation and therefore we think that the correct departments in government should be dealing with this and is should not be left up to the department of Environmental affairs as this is beyond their mandate," Galliers said.